by Shawn Keys
It would have been an intimate move no matter what. This was on another level as her violet panties melded against his black cotton boxers and his semi-hard manhood beneath. No matter how intense their night had been, the heat of her core pressed into him made him swell a little. As if his cock was seeking her instinctively.
Angelica was tall. Seated on his thighs, she peered down at him and spoke fondly, “I think he likes me.” Her teasing faded, and she said, “I’m not afraid of anything inside you. Few people have ever been so honest with what they wanted. And only one other person has ever let me be who I wanted to be no matter what. That’s special. And I… I want that.” She kissed his forehead and pulled him close.
Zahn lay his head in the natural cupping space of her cleavage. His arms folded around her and hugged her tightly. He had nothing to say. In the end, this was perhaps the most defining moment in his rather eventful life. Angelica Laviolette, star of stage and screen, award-winning actress and statuesque beauty… had let him bend her over a desk and thrust his cock into her ass until she came like a vixen in heat. How could claiming a font of immortality compare to that?
That was his new reality. That was a part of his life now. Unbelievable.
He wondered how he would ever explain his feelings. That each day they were together, more and more, he wanted this to go on forever. She had said that her life was complicated. He knew that all lives tended to be complicated. But the idea that there was a future where she didn’t ‘belong’ to him felt wrong. He would have to find the way to tell her that. When the time is right, I will.
Finished with teasing him, Angelica kissed the top of his head and asked, “So what’s on the agenda for today?”
“Other than more sex?”
She mocked him with a gentle laugh. “Yes, other than that.”
Joking aside, Zahn gave her question serious thought. “I need to attune with the Fountain a little more. I would suggest you do the same with the pendant. Each relic is different. With the Fountain, it will be more like meditation. Coming to know myself, so it can connect with me. For you and the pendant, you’ll need practice. Reaching out to the minds of animals. See if you can sense them first. Then, hear them. Maybe even get closer to controlling them. Flies are a good start, but bears would be more useful.”
Angelica pfffed past her lips, amused. “Somehow, I don’t think I’m a ‘bear’ person. But you’re right.” She paused. “Can I ask you for a personal favor?”
Zahn’s eyebrows rose. “I think it might be a little late to wonder about that.”
She murmured another soft laugh, but didn’t give in. “This is different. That’s the game we play between the sheets. In there.” She pointed with her chin at the bedroom. “The favor I want involves what comes next.”
Zahn nodded, gesturing for her to go on.
Angelica said, “I think you knew I wasn’t going to forget about relics once you told me. Whatever happens between us, you knew you were creating one more person who would want to find more of them.”
“You would leave behind acting?”
She shrugged. “Do I really have to choose? Perhaps I can have both. I don’t know, Zahn. I really don’t. I won’t know until I’ve sorted out what I want in life.”
Zahn nodded again. “That’s fair. And no, you don’t have to choose. I don’t think any of us decided one day that we’re sacrificing everything to go after them. It just grows on you.”
Angelica smiled. “That’s what I want. The chance to see where this takes me.”
“What do you need from me?”
Angelica pulled back far enough that she could look down into his eyes. “Training. Not just with this relic. You told me that if you research a relic and find it, then it’s yours. If I’m going to be part of this, I don’t want to be tagging along on other people’s quests.”
Zahn offered, “If you want to sound like one of the crowd, we call these adventures ‘relic-dives’. Became popular a while back, since the whole thing is like plunging into a deep lake not quite knowing what you’re going to find.”
She smiled at the image. “Tell me more things like that. I want to be able to find my own leads. Track my own relics. But I need to know where I can find this sort of information. How do you even begin to start? Can you teach me that?”
Zahn was impressed at her eagerness, and he let that show. But he also wasn’t going to blow sunshine up the cute little ass he had just ravished. “A lot of university degrees don’t cover as much ground as what you’ll need to absorb. It’s a big commitment. Cutting corners will be dangerous and get you killed. Reckless relic divers don’t last long.”
She smiled back. “Then teach me to do it right.” She flowed off his lap and walked over to a table tucked into a corner. On the top, Zahn had propped the tall, thin vial that was the Fountain of Life. He had yet to find a place to properly and permanently mount it. She tapped it with a suggestive fingernail. “After all, we have time, don’t we? As long as you possess this, and continue to… invest?... me with it s energy, then we have all the time in the world.”
Zahn pushed up from his seat and approached her again. “As the saying goes, time and tide wait for no-one. But rushing in where the proverbial fool dares to tread is equally silly. As you say, we have time.”
She brushed her lips against his. “So, you’ll show me what I need to know?’
He nodded. “I’ll get you started. Your interests will take you in your own directions. But I’ll show you where to find the resources you’ll need. How to read between the lines of ancient stories in old books. How to pick out references to relics from fantastic tales of people doing fantastic things around the world. Some are still fake. I’ll help you spot the tell-tales between truth and fiction. The line still exists. It’s just been moved.”
Angelica gave him a dazzling smile. “First lesson after lunch? Before I get into experimenting with my new animal friends?”
Zahn tilted his head curiously. “Why not this morning?”
“I believe we’ll be busy with sex.”
“Ahhhhhh…”
* * *
Two days passed in what Zahn would consider idle luxury. Normally, whenever he stayed anywhere for longer than a couple nights, he was usually in active pursuit of a relic. That, or harvesting a library or other treasure-trove of knowledge for its secrets.
Sharing space with Angelica was a touch of paradise. When they weren’t making love, they were lounging in the pool or on the fireside deck chairs. When they weren’t lounging, he was teaching her the finer points of relic investigation. And when they weren’t involved in those chats, they were doing what they could to attune to their freshly-linked artifacts.
Zahn was holding off building any sort of permanent construct to hold the Fountain vial. He didn’t know why, but his instincts were telling him that this wasn’t the time or place. He tended to listen to his gut reactions when they were this strong. To his waking mind, it didn’t make sense. This was a heavenly retreat. He raked himself over the coals trying to figure out his issue with settling in. Was it because the cottage was Angelica’s more than it was his? If I enshrine the Fountain here, what would that mean? She hasn’t really invited me to call this my home.
He was fairly certain that was the answer. No matter how close they were growing to each other, they hadn’t made anything official between them. He would die to keep her safe. But until they made clear their hearts to each other, how could he claim a part of her cottage for his own?
He wasn’t exactly afraid of the conversation. But she was honest about the turmoil in her life that she might not be able to control. She was a superstar. An entire world was itching for the slightest sign of her presence. Not just dozens or hundreds but rather thousands of people were probably wondering where the hell she was. They would turn even more rabid if they found out she was playing hookie with a nobody like him.
Not dwelling on dark thoughts, he roused himself from his latest round of medit
ation. The Fountain was positioned carefully on the floor in front of his lotus pose. Uncoiling, Zahn swept to his feet and picked up the vial. He padded across the open room wearing only his breezy, loose-fitting trousers and leaving his chiseled torso bare. He enjoyed the effect it had on Angelica whenever she caught sight of him. With care, he replaced the Fountain back on its stand in the corner. Then, he headed toward the rear balcony to see how Angelica was faring.
He entered the bedroom, then crossed to the exit onto the large balcony which overlooked the pool, which in turn bordered on the cliff dropping down to the lake below. Sunset was fast approaching, washing the white stone and light-hued wood of the cottage in an orange-tinted glow.
Rather than go further, he leaned against the edge of the archway leading out and watched. This scene would have been right at home in a Disney movie, he decided with a wry smile.
Angelica was standing near the railing. She was scanning back and forth slowly from the pockets of forest to the open air above the lake as if she could pick out small voices on the wind. Her arms were outstretched, and she was swaying softly listening to a music only she could hear. A pair of blue-jays were hopping merrily down her arm, plucking at a few pieces of grass that had drifted onto her clothing. On the other side, a dragonfly had alighted on her hand to enjoy a brief break from flying. The birds didn’t go after the insect. That sort of violence never even occurred to them while in the sphere of Angelica’s influence. A trio of chipmunks were at her feet nibbling away at some nuts she had left for them. A rabbit was flopped on its back, covering her left shoe, basking in her mental affection along with the last warmth of daylight.
For an unspoken reason, she drew her hands back in. She became visibly more grounded. The birds and dragonfly both launched into the air, while the squirrels grabbed the last of their treat and darted away. Angelica had to give the bunny a nudge with her foot to get the sleeping animal out of its stupor. Reminded of how it was supposed to be wild and free, the rabbit bounced to the stairs leading down to the pool deck and rushed into the cover of the woods.
Flushed with success, Angelica swirled around to face him. She wasn’t dressed casually at all. As she struck a pose facing him, Zahn realized with a smile that she had picked her dress to flat-out seduce him.
She was going to succeed. Her designer dress clung to her curves in all the right places. The shade was a deep purple with a few golden-yellow accents. The collar-line dipped low, daring him to stare at her breasts nestled just out of sight. The fabric was not quite translucent, though the sunlight behind her gave the arousing impression she was far more naked than she was. Her skirt hugged her hips and extended only to the middle of her thighs. Her lithe legs were sheathed in dark silk stockings. The lace at the top of her stockings was concealed by her skirt, but peeked into view whenever her skirt rode up a couple inches when she walked. Her dark purple pumps gave her a couple inches again, adding to her already statuesque height and granting her already sexy legs a little extra appeal.
Through the pleasant, lustful haze her dress inspired, Zahn struggled to focus on the topic at hand. He brought his hands together in genuine applause. “You’re getting better by the hour.”
Angelica leaned against the railing, shaking herself to work out the tingles of excitement. “The sensation is incredible! And I’m hearing them further and further out each time I try. It’s still really hard to get them to do anything that they wouldn’t normally do, but the possibilities are astonishing!”
Zahn realized what was missing. “Hard to toast your progress without a drink. Want me to fetch something?”
She moistened her lips at the thought. “Would you? Something white?”
He knew her taste by then, biasing always toward the crisp and dry rather than heavy and sweet. “I’ll find something that fits.” Retreating into the cottage, he jogged down the stairs and into the cellar. Not a heavy drinker, Angelica hadn’t outfitted the place with a massive collection of wines or spirits. But she had a modest collection, and the dedicated wine cellar was expertly built to keep the bottles cool and ready for indulging.
Selecting a worthy candidate, he hoisted the bottle, plucked a couple tall glasses from the shelf and stepped out of the chilled room.
A noise brought him to a stop. Cocking his head to one side, he listened.
Those were footsteps on the main floor above him, he realized. They were different from Angelica’s. He knew her walk by now.
There was a soft plunk of a bag being set on the ground. Then, the rustle of what might be a coat being tossed aside. Seconds later, voices too muted to make out.
Followed by…laughter? Surprised laughter.
Zahn wasn’t certain what to make of it all. But he had grown up being constantly suspicious and cautious. Respecting those hard lessons learned, he reverted back to the silent, ghostly version of how he moved. Stealing up the stairs on soundless feet, he gained a sight-line to the front door. It was closed, but there was a small stack of luggage piled haphazardly in the foyer – as if someone had entered, but was in too much of a hurry to organize anything.
Still holding the bottle and glasses in his hand as impromptu weapons, Zahn turned toward the voices coming from the bedroom. A few stealthy steps, and he was able to peer into the room without being spotted. Enough to see if Angelica was facing down a threat that had somehow managed to track them down.
She was not, he realized quickly, in any sort of danger.
Angelica had come in off the balcony to stand inside the bedroom. The drapes were blowing around her as the night breeze played through the sliding-glass doors. She might have been surprised, but now there was nothing on her face but delighted bliss.
Another woman was cuddled in against her. From his spot in the hall, Zahn couldn’t see her face. She was a little shorter than Angelica, though her three-inch heels brought their faces closer. Her dress was the picture of elegance, predominantly a rich emerald green with black embroidery set strategically to enhance the bold primary color. Her hair was a mass of tight, black curls that spilled from the top of her head in an artful mess. The back of her dress dipped low, past the small of her back to reveal smooth, dark-mocha skin. Her skirt swept down to her ankles, but the slit along the left side swished open long enough for Zahn to glimpse equally beautiful, dark skin over shapely legs. Her hourglass figure complemented the dress perfectly, a rounded yet firm behind filling out the back of her skirt in a way designed to make an admirer beg for mercy.
More stunning than the woman herself was the way the two were folded into one another, kissing with the heart-and-soul intensity of two lovers kept apart for far too long. Zahn could read the same emotion in their whole bodies. These two weren’t strangers. This wasn’t a crazed fan who had broken in and dared to steal a kiss from a celebrity. Their arms were curled around each other lovingly. Zahn could see Angelica’s hands caressing along the new woman’s spine. Her pale flesh made the contrast to her unknown lover’s skin strikingly poetic. They didn’t just kiss. They danced, lost in memories reignited by their reunion.
It was beautiful. Zahn couldn’t turn away. Nor could he interrupt. He knew he should do one or the other, but the quiet love surrounding the two women was simply too lovely.
Floating on their joy, the kiss eventually ended. Remaining tucked into each other’s arms, they shared a delighted laugh at being together again.
Angelica found her words first, tinged with mild shock. “What are you doing here? You were scheduled to be in Germany until the end of the month!”
They had turned enough to the side that Zahn could recognize her attractive friend. Graceful cheekbones framed her uniquely-brilliant green eyes which contrasted with her coffee-flavored skin. He knew her immediately; he had not followed her career as closely as Angelica’s, but this woman had played the rapier-wielding swordswoman who had defended the Princess in Rain in the Sky. That role had pulled in a nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ for no less than four award ceremon
ies. This was Kaylee Valemount, a tour-de-force actress known for selecting mostly artistic projects that resulted in movies with stunning cinematography and critical acclaim. They rarely became record-shattering blockbusters, but she was among the most respected actresses in the world.
Kaylee answered Angelica with a helpless laugh. “Are you kidding me, Angie?” Her expression shifted to one of concern. “The newspapers! They carried the story even over-seas. I know those vultures get plenty of details wrong, but something had to have happened. The television police reports said someone shot at you!”
Angelica shivered at the dreadful memory. “I texted you. I told you what happened.”
“Thank you for telling me. I needed that. But I had to come home and see you breathing with my own two eyes!”
Tenderness crept into Angelica’s eyes. She caressed her lover’s arm. “I should have known you would.”
Kaylee waved wildly as she spoke, conjuring up the frantic emotions she had endured over the last few days. “But before I could clear up my affairs and get on a plane, what do I see? Footage of your car arriving home looking like it just came through a post-apocalyptic stunt rally! Window rolled down, and there you are waving like nothing was wrong. Then, you up and vanish. No texts. No emails. I’ve been beside myself for days! When I caught a horrid layover delay in Boston, I hired my own plane to fly here faster!”
Embarrassment flooded Angelica’s face, at a loss for words.
Zahn felt a swell of sympathy for her. Her whole world view had been flipped upside down. Surely that was worth a little forgiveness for being out of touch. But Kaylee didn’t know the complete chaos that had stormed into Angelica’s life.
Kaylee reached up to stroke fingers through Angelica’s hair, then ran soft fingertips down her cheek to her neck. “You aren’t one for publicity stunts. I knew something had to be wrong. And I knew if things went really wrong, you’d show up here eventually.” Her gaze roved up and down Angelica’s enticing attire. “Let me look at you and convince myself you’re alright! ”